Looking up and north at the head and shoulders of the General Philip H. Sheridan Memorial at Sheridan Circle NW in Washington, D.C., in the United States.

The 11 foot high bronze sculpture was designed by Gutzon Borglum, and dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt on November 25, 1908. The bronze work stands on a beige grante plinth about two feet high, supported by a huge base some 30 feet wide. The statue is oriented with Massachusetts Avenue NW, and can be reached by five short steps on the northwest and southeast sides. The base has a low wall about three feet high on the northeast and southwest sides, into which exedra (benches) are set. From ground level to the top of the upper step, the base is about four feet high. On the northeast and southwest sides of the base are two bronze lion heads, which act as fountains that pour water into deep, rectangular catch-basins set flush with the ground.

The statue is a contributing property to the Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C. -- a national historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sheridan was a short man, but a charismatic leader in battle. The statue depicts him mounted on his legenday horse, Rienzi, which carried him into 85 battles in the American Civil War. 2d Lieutenant Philip H. Sheridan, Jr. (the general's son) was the model for the sculpture.

Borglum chose to show Sheridan riding into Third Battle of Winchester (also known as the Battle of Opequon) on September 19, 1864. Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early had been raiding up and down the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia for two years, constantly threatening Washington, D.C., and forcing the Union to divert huge resources to the defense of the city that were better used in attacking the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond. Union military commanders finally decided to send Union cavalry into the Shenandoah to stop him.

The effort to stop Early was known as the Campaign of the Valley. Early was living off the land and using hit-and-run tactics to keep the Union forces off balance. But he met his match in Phil Sheridan, who believed in fighting fire with fire -- and using the same tactics to destroy Early's command.

The turning point of the campaign came when Early raided the B&O Railroad station at Martinsburg, West Virginia. Sheridan's VI Corps and XIX Corps began crossing Opequon Creek to chase him, but their advance was delayed. Early concentrated his forces to meet the main assault. Union officers were caught flat-footed, assuming Early's troops too scattered to resist. Casualties were very heavy. Union forces began retreating....

Just then, Sheridan rode at lighting speed over 20 miles into his lines. He ralled his troops from horseback, rushing up and down the line, calling the men to gather around him, turn, and fight. Slowly, the Union forces pushed the Confederates back. By late afternoon, Union troops had turned the Confederate left flank and Early was in retreat.